General

Nothing can stop Nasser Khan

When you don’t have any other option, you’ve got to find some way to survive,” says this 35-year-old originally from Kanpur, who refuses to romanticise his life story.

Visually impaired shows the way to politicians

Rambhai Patel does not wear khadi. He has no political connection and has never contested an election. But, on May 16, Rambhai, a visually impaired retired telephone operator in Valsad achieved something that is the envy of seasoned politicians - he polled 27,429 votes as an Independent in the Lok Sabha elections.

Come, feel the stars in the ‘dark’ museum

The Birla Industrial & Technological Meseum (BITM) has recently inaugurated a special gallery in Kolkata for the visually-impaired to make them aware about the heavenly bodies.

“A world of darkness” — as the name suggests, the gallery provides a detailed description of the cosmos, including the solar system, the Milky Way, the pole stars, the Andromeda, Cassiopeia and Ursa Major and also the 12 zodiac signs.

Disabled persons urge new Orissa govt. to fulfill poll promises

Disabled persons in the state have urged the BJD government to fulfill its promises in the election manifesto of forming a state level commission to look into their demands, after winning its third consecutive term in Orissa.

The main demands of the physically challenged in the state include hike in disability pension from Rs 200 per month to Rs 1000 per month and appointment of a state commissioner to look after their welfare.

The Big Turnoff: Furor Over Kindle Audio Puts Random Between Rock and Hard Place

You shall not curse the deaf nor place a stumbling block before the blind.
Leviticus 19:14

I realize it's unfashionable to feel sorry for Random House, but I think they're getting the rotten end of the stick for a problem not of their making.

Visually challenged assumes charge as Munsif court judge

A visually impaired person on Monday took charge as the judge of a Munsif Court in the city, claimed to be the first in Tamil Nadu, perhaps in India.

The 41-year old T T Chakravarthy, native of Arcot in Vellore District, was practicing in the district court there and later enrolled at Madras High Court.

After successfully writing TNPSC, he was called for the judges training and got 13th place in the examination in 2008.

Visually impaired but dreams big

Ashish Jha had to take the help of a reader and writer to take his engineering exams. Vikram Dalmia had to struggle to convince his parents that he was capable of running the family business.

Jha and Dalmia are visually impaired but that hasn’t stopped them from achieving their dreams.

“When I was studying in BP Poddar College, I had to ask my friends or my mother to draw engineering diagrams on my hand so that I could understand them. It was hard but I managed,” said Jha, who lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa. He is now an IT security specialist with IBM.

Railways to make 1,500 stations 'disabled friendly'

With a view to giving convenience to physically challenged people, the Railways have decided to provide special facilities in over 1,500 stations in the country.
Special facilities like access ramps, reserved parking slots, low height water taps and suitable toilets for differently-abled people will be developed in phases at important railway stations, a senior Railway Ministry official said.

Visually impaired person opens panchayat's eyes

He cannot see but was determined to open the eyes of administration. More than his poverty, 26-year-old Ratna Al, it was authorities turning blind eye to development works in his village that pained him.

A native of Rangpar, a dusty hamlet of 750 people in Wankaner taluka, Ratna used Right to Information (RTI). Ratna has put the village on development track. A neat two-km road has replaced the stony path connecting it to highway. The thorny gando bawal shrubs that dotted the roadside are now being cleared regularly and Rangpar is getting the facelift.

Campus commute for the differently-abled

Life for the differently-abled at North Campus changed for better on Monday.

And it happened with Delhi University (DU) launching a special free-of-cost bus service meant exclusively for the physically challenged.

Acquired at a cost of Rs 16 lakh, the bus boasts of special features that have been included in the design to suit needs of its passengers.

The service is free of cost.

For starters, the rear entrance door of the bus is enabled with a hydraulic lift mechanism to help wheelchair users board the vehicle.